AG #2 A little snow didn't stop us...

Despite a heavy snowstorm 50 patrons turned out to slurp African Peanut Soup by Driftless Market and to contribute $530 to fund phase 1 of artist Tim Olson's proposal to revisit some historical photos. Olson wowed the AG crowd with the following project:

"In the spring of 1912, an unknown photographer spent two weeks in Dubuque photographing workers in factories, offices, shops and other businesses. He worked with a large format camera, shot about 450 negatives and sold prints to the subjects and businesses he photographed.

The individual photographs are, for the most part, objective, straight on, extremely detailed portraits of workers and the spaces they occupy. The photographs document the subjects with incredible detail. We see the moustaches, the sleeve protectors, the tin ceilings, the dizzying wallpaper patterns, the Miss Remington calendar, and the price of a chopped ham sandwich. And the photographs are remarkably democratic--picturing company presidents as well as the workers stuffing mattresses. Taken together, these photographs make up a remarkable portrait of Dubuque during two weeks in 1912.

I would like to recreate this project by making a second set of photographs of Dubuque factories, offices, and shops in 2012. An essential part of this recreation would involve using--as much as possible--the same sort of equipment and black and white processes used to make the 1912 photographs. The viewer will look at the two time periods literally through the same lens."

Six innovative proposals...

50 weather-brave patrons...

...and God Bless America watching over us all.

Special thanks to Mark Wahlert & Dubuque Museum of Art, Driftless Market, Dubuque365 Print Services, Gail Chavenelle, Doug & Dona Schleiser, Ana Bissell, Carla Heathcoate, Cole Butler, Ryan Newhard, Gene, Jane, & Laura Tully. The snow was artful too...7 fluffy inches of it.

Word on the street is that one of the other projects submitted that night got privately funded later by a patron in the crowd...win-win. Powerful stuff, yo!

Stay tuned for the March 24, 2011 installment of AG, 6-8 p.m at Dubuque Museum of Art with Soup & Bread by The Food Store.

AG #2: 12 Ways to Warm Your Soul Tonight

Git yer soup on at ART GUMBO tonight! 6-8 p.m. at Dubuque Museum of Art, 701 S. Locust St. Driftless Market Platteville, WI is cookin' up African Peanut Soup and rustic bread. The DMA galleries will be open featuring Patching a Decade, textiles by Teresa Patschke, Biennial Juried Exhibit featuring 49 artists working within 200 miles of Dubuque, and you really can't miss Seward Johnson's 25 foot tall God Bless America statue out front. September GUMBO winner Gene Tully will present on his installation of Warehouse Groteseques. 

Guests of honor: 6 new proposals!

It's cold outside. Come in. Warm your soul. Fund some art.